Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-03-14
A NEW RACKET.
A POINTER FOR MEMBERS OF THE TRAVEL
Frs PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION.
How Ensrprsing St LOUIS Dunmsrs unlOadsd
Their Wares on People IN the
Lower Counties.

sold for sixty-fve dollars, numbers ofthem
have been disposed of, and not infrequent-
Iy to persons in Strengthened elrcum-
stances and to those proverbial for their
''close-fstedness," who all their lives
have cooked round an open fireplace, too
stingy to spend a few dollars for a cook
stove. Now comes a strange story about
q mysterious influence or mesmerism ex-
ercised by these agents overt to those whom
they desire to sell; this on the authority OF
a gentleman whose yeracity stands I'M
challenged-Mr. Samp Burns. A neighbor
of his, an estimable citizen, though In
somewhat Strengthened circumstances. was
called upon by an agent, and although his
wife protested they were not able to buy,
her husband who was ont on the farm,
was sent for. He lent an unwilling
ear to the praises Of the range;
he felt that he should not buy,
Int a strange spell was on
him and his wife $ well, and they declare
that if the range had been a thousand dol
lars they couldn't have said no. Other
cases equally strange are reported, ell
agreeing that they are made the victims oil
some subtle agency or influence they can
not account for nor resist. When the sale
is perfected and the agent leaves, the spell
is broken, the awful realization is forced
upon them that they have bought 4 thing
they did not need nor were not able to pay
for. the snug sum they had boarded up 10
make a payment on the little home being
zone. but no power to resist its going.
Much CONSERVATION prevails in sections OF
the county and people are living in con-
slant dread. 1t is proposed by some to
organize and drive the agents from the
county.
Judging from the investments of North
ern capitalists in the coal and timber lands
of the Kanawha valley, and from the
projected through and short lines of rail
road, which will be under construction
next summer, the prospects for the valley
were never so fair rs ut present. West Nir-
ginia resources are claiming as much at
~tention, if not more, than the resources OF
the Western States. \ company WAS or
ganized in Charleston recently, with 4
paid in capital of S764, 0O0, to operate on
Coal River. The Elk river valley is to be
ooened up to by the Baltimore
& Ohio Railroad. 4 railroad is coming
down through the rich timber and mineral
lands on Coal river, and short lines are
being contemplated on almost every creek
along the valley. 4 tract of land situated
on Big Coal river and the headwaters OF
Cabin creek, containing II, IN acres, was
purchased last week by George J. Shonk,
of WilkeSharre; Lloyd W. Williams, OF
Baltimore; H. NJ. Bell, OF 'Staunton, Nir-
GINA, and Others, for 5000 00. The Cabin
Creek railroad will be extended to these
lands, which are known as the Pack
lands"
The mysterious disappearance of Mr..
Richard Miller continues 10 De the topic OF
street discussion at Parkersburg, and the
small boy and the police are still in the
dark, aS To whether he was murdered, ac-
cidently drowned, shielded or gone away
to sober up. The great and uncOntroverti-
hle fact remains singly and alone that Mr..
Miller has disappeared. The supposition
that he was murdered grows out OF the
fact that when last seen he was drunk,
was in bad company and was supposed TO
nave some money on his person. 1t Is said
that a long time ago Miller disappeared,
and nothing was heard of him for several
years, but he turned up ali right. The
women arrested for the crime OF murder
have now all been discharged, the evidence
being 80 conflicting and improbable rs not
to warrant their being held. Last Wednes-
day there was q story circulated that a dead
body had been found in an old cistern in
the rear of the old Spencer house, and il
created a good deal OF excitement, but like
all the other stories it failed to m~aterialize
anything.
Last Saturday evening, Mr.. James L.
Brock, residing near Rivesville, MonOnga-
liza county. while returning home with his
little son on horseback, came to the ford
at the mouth of Parker's run, about a mile
below Rivesville, and finding the stream
very high. he decided to set the boy down
and try the ford alone to see if it could be
crossed safely. lie had ridden about half
way across, when his horse took fright, be.
came ~unmanagcable and got into the deep
water below the ford, Mr.. Brock was swept
from the animals back, and struggled to
reach the shore, but numbed by cold and
weighted with heavy clothing, he sOon
sank exhausted and was drowned. Mr..
Elisha West was on the opposite side of
the stream and witnessed the occurrence,
but WAS pOweTleSs 10 aid the drowning man.
The body was recovered about two hours
afterward.
Last Monday at the Cunningham House,
Petersburg. Grant county, two English
sparrows engaged in a Sullivan contest,
and when one of them was knocked out,
he delibertly went TO tire gable end of the
hotel and hanged himself 10 one Of the
projecting boards, by thrusting his neck
into a split in the board.
Jesse Lemon, OF Gilmer county, blew
his brains out "a few days ago. lie took
his rifle and going ont in the woods, cut n
chestnut switch about five feet long, with
q prong at one end. Resting the but of
his rifle on the ground and the muzzle
against his chin Lemons pulled the trigger
with the pronSed switch, and fell dead.
The project OF running a railroad from
Wheeling Junction TO New Cumberland,
Hancock county, lis revived. Mr.. Taylor,
the Superintendent of the Panhandle,
says he is urging their chief engineer to
complete the SURVEY and estimates as soon
as possible, so that he can commence
work.
On last Thursday morning, an old man
by the name of ThOs. Rowland, was run
over and instantly killed by a freight train
ut CORVALLIS on the L. 90. 1t seems
that, although the train was running
slow, he did not hear it coming until it
was too late to make his escape.
Moorefeld aud South Fork districts in
Hardy county voted, a few days ago, on
the question Of subscribing to the stock OF
the proposed railroad from MoOreield to
Keyser or Cumberland. The vote stood
1863 for subscription and "A against.
The loDg-lived law suit of the Chase